Theme park tragedy as boy, 3, dies after collapsing while on day out with parents

Police and paramedics were called to Wheelgate Theme Park in Farnsfield, near Newark, at around 5pm Sunday afternoon.

The boy was airlifted to hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.

The child's parents are understood to have called an ambulance after the youngster started feeling unwell.

An air ambulance was called as the boy's condition quickly deteriorated and he died shortly after arriving in hospital.

A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious.

There is no suggestion the boy's death is linked to the theme park.

A statement from the theme park added: "Management and staff at Wheelgate Park would like to extend their deepest sympathies to the family of a young child who passed away in hospital after having suddenly taken ill while visiting the park on Sunday 17th April.

"As a mark of respect, the park will be closed on Monday 18th April and reopen on Tuesday 19th April.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our visitors on Sunday 17th April for their co-operation and understanding during what was clearly a very distressing time for the child and his family, and also to extend our gratitude to the work of the all the emergency services, as well as an off duty nurse who assisted immediately and the on-site first aid team."

One eye-witness, who asked not to be named, told the Nottingham Post: "We didn't know what had happened but there were quite a lot of ambulances, the air ambulance arrived and took the child away."

Tim Moorehouse, manager of the nearby White Post Inn pub, added: "I saw the ambulance come through – I was just outside the back of the pub at the time."